Filter



Sheet 2 of' 2 F. SIRAGUSA FILTER INVENTOR.

FRANK SIRGUSA TTRNEX March 18, 1969 F'iled Dect.

FIG. .9

United States Patent O 3,433,231 FILTER Frank Siragusa, 4 Elmwood Court, Westbury, N.Y. 11590 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 589,432, Oct. 25, 1966. This application Dec. 5, 1966, Ser. No. 599,239 U.S. Cl. 131-105 Int. Cl. A2411 1/04 11 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 589,432, filed Oct. 25, 1966.

This invention relates to filters for gas flow systems, and in particular, a gas iiow system such as a cigarette wherein the gas or smoke fiows from the cigarette into the mouth of a smoker. In essence, the invention comprises a filter for such a gas flow system, and in particular, its application to a cigarette, with a filter comprising that end of the cigarette structure which is placed in the mouth of the smoker. The purpose of the filter of the invention is to provide a structure having a chamber leading to a nozzle with the nozzle directed toward a baliie. The chamber is adapted to cause the smoke or gas to move at high speeds through the nozzle and then to be dispersed together with the particles contained therein toward the bafiie, collecting particles within the smoke or gas substantially on the baffle, and permitting the balance of the smoke or gas to flow past the baflie in a downstream direction toward the mouthpiece of the filter.

It is the object of this invention to provide an improved filter, economical to manufacture, which will be eliicient in removing undesirable content from the gas or smoke and yet which will permit the gas or smoke to fiow freely; and in the case of tobacco smoke, t0 permit the purified smoke to be enjoyed with a minimum amount of obstruction from the filter system.

The object of the invention is accomplished by providing a filter having a nozzle directed against a baiiie. The nozzle has an internal configuration designed to cause smoke fiowing through the filter (either by reason of suction or blowing) to increase in velocity so that as it leaves the nozzle it will be iiowing at high speed, causing impurities contained therein to strike the baie and either adhere to the bafiie or fall back in the filter permitting the smoke, without such impurities, to continue around the bat-lie and out of the system.

I achieve these objects with the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a medial cross section of a cigarette incorporating my filter, with parts ofthe cigarette cut away;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view as seen along the lines 2-2 in FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a medial cross sectional view of the smoke passage portion of the filter including the baie section;

FIG. 4 is a medial sectional view of the insertable nozzle portion of the filter;

FIG. 5 is a view partially in section, and partially in diagram, showing at dotted lines variations in configuration of the internal shape of the nozzle;

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FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing an alternate form of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view along the lines 7--7 in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view along the lines 8-8 in FIG. 6; and

FIG. 9 is a view showing the two assemblies of the alternate form of the invention, when fitted together, with the first assembly in section and the second assembly in elevation.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, I show the mouthpiece end 10 of a cigarette 12. The cigarette is made of the usual tubular construction having a wall of cigarette paper 14, filled with tobacco 16. At the mouthpiece end 10 there is a filter 18.

Reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 will show that the filter is comprised of -a first assembly 20 comprising :a tubular body portion 22, and a baiiie means such as a transverse battle 24. The bafiie has one or more openings 26. There is a second assembly 28 comprising the nozzle 30. The second assembly 28 has a circular wall 32 having an enlarged end portion 34. The external diameter of wall 32 is just large enough to fit snug to the internal ydiameter of Wall 22, and the external diameter of wall portion 34 is ksubstantially equivalent to the external diameter of wall 22 so that when second assembly portion 28 is fitted into the first assembly portion 20, the completed filter struc ture 18 will have the appearance as shown in FIG. 1 ofthe drawings.

The filter 18 can then be attached to the cigarette body portion 12 by means known to the rart, such as radhesive means as indicated at reference numeral 36, or by any other means. Another means of fastening the filter tip 18 to the cigarette 12 would be to line up the cylinder of the tip 18 with the cylinder of the cigarette 12 and place a paper roll 62 around the tip 18 and the cigarette 12 with a portion of the paper troll 62 covering the point of juncture so that the paper roll 62 will essentially form a third cylinder or tube gripping the filter and the cigarette together. The paper tube or roll 62 may be fastened to the other components by means of an adhesive or any other suitable means.

The nozzle portion 30 has an internal configuration providing a .relatively wide entry portion 38 and a relatively narrow exit portion 40 with the nozzle chamber 42 between the entry and exit being graduated in size from wide to narrow in the normal direction of gas flow as indicated by the arrow 43 in FIG. 4 of the drawings.

Reference again to FIG. 1 will show that the 4bafiie means 24 is positioned relative to the narrow exit portion 4t) of the nozzle so that the flow of gas indicated by vthe arrow 41 in FIG. l will be directed against the baiiie in the first instance. Any impurities such as solid particles 44 will be directed against the bafiie 24 at relatively high velocity by the fluid stream of the gas or smoke. The smoke which enters the beginning of the enclosed passage means of the filter at area 46 continues through the enclosed passage of the filter through the nozzle means 30 and into a central portion of the enclosed passage 50 of the filter until it hits or is impeded by bafiie 24. Then the smoke must change its direction -as partially indicated by arrows 52 and leave central portion of passageway 50 through openings 26 into portion 54 of the filter passageway and out through the exit portion of the filter such as mouthpiece means 56. The central portion of passageway 50 thus also serves as a trap means in which the mpurities removed from the smoke are trapped.

In the case of the cigarette filter structure shown herein, the gas or smoke is caused to move through the filter by suction of the mouth of the user (not shown) drawing on the cigarette at mouthpiece end 56.

The use of the term smoke in this specification shall include the general term gas, the term smoke being used as being more in conformity with the specific application of the filter of the invention as described herein.

In `another type of system', the gas may be pushed or blown through the filter through the gas entry portion of the passageway of the filter at area 46 rather than by sucking action, and the filtered smoke will exit from the filter through the exit portion as designated at reference numeral 56.

The fiilter as described herein has been shown to be made in two parts comprising the first assembly 20 and the second assembly 28. This is made as a two-part filter because of the process of injection molding by which it is made. The filter is molded out of any suitable plastic known to the injection molding arts. A suitable mold or molds are made to mold the first assembly 20 as illustrated in FIG. 3 and also the second assembly 28 as illustrated in FIG. 4. Second assembly 28 is then snug fitted into first assembly 20.

The filter can be made in any other manner which will produce the configuration necessary to its useful operation. In addition, the nozzle chamber 42 may be in various configurations and shapes providing that the entry portion 38 is relatively wider than the exit portion 40. Three different shapes of nozzle chambers 30 are shown by means of the dotted lines in FIG. 5, and any other shapes may be used which can be included within the limits of the size of the invention having the relative differences in entry and exit ports and the graduated side Wall. The term graduated when used herein shall mean la gradual narrowing of the chamber 30 which may be in even increments or in varied increments and which may be regular or irregular, it being the intention to provide a chamber 30 having a wide entry and a narrow exit, and having an internal configuration which will produce a great increase in Avelocity between the entry and exit ports for the purposes of the invention as set forth herein.

I have found that the average cigarette is between 1A and 5f, of an inch in diameter, and I, therefore, make my filter, when it is designed for use with a cigarette, about the same outside diameter as the outside diameter of the cigarette paper in which the average cigarette is rolled. I find that a nozzle 36 having an exit port 40 within the range of .020 to .040 inch in internal diameter spaced about 1/s of an inch away from the bafiie 24 will give proper results. This may be varied about 1/32 of an inch in either direction, toward or away from the bafiie. These measurements are proper for a form of invention made as a cigarette filter and as illustrated in the drawings. In such a form of the invention, the filter tip represented by reference numeral 18 would be approximately 7/8 of an inch long, being about 5/3 of an inch from the beginning ofthe filter at reference numeral 46 to the bafiie 24, with end passage 54 being approximately 1A: of an inch long. lf it is desired to increase the length of the filter tip, this may be done by increasing the length of the end passage 54. These parameters rare given to show a preferred form of the invention and may be varied within the workable limits of the device. They may also be varied proportionately to the size of the filter when filters of either larger or smaller sizes are made.

While the filter is shown to have a tubular construction, it may be octagonal or have any other cross sectional shape which does not interfere with the wide entrance, graduated sized chamber and narrow exit of the nozzle.

The end passage 54 may provide spacing between the baffle 24 and the exit port 56. The spacing in the end passage 54 may be clear or it may contain further filtering means such as mechanical filter 60. The mechanical filter coal or any other type of mechanical filter adapted to take impurities out of a gas or any combination of such materials.

I show another form of the invention in FIGS. 6 through 9 of the drawings. This alternate form of the invention is substantially identical to the form shown in FIGS. l through 5 except that a plurality of nozzles 30a, each enclosed in its separate enclosed central passage 50a, are provided in lieu of the single nozzle illustrated in FIG. 1. Any number of nozzles 30a and enclosed passages 50a can be provided from two on upward within the size limits of the device, and for purposes of illustration I show a preferred form having four nozzles 30a within four enclosed passageways 50a.

The dimensions for this alternate form of invention are generally the same as those given for the form shown in FIG. 1, with the exception that the nozzles will have smaller exit portions 40a, and the single enclosed passage 50 is now divided into four smaller enclosed passages 50a by means of passage divider means such as panels 70.

In the alternate form of invention, the entire device may be made in two assemblies similar to the first form of the invention, the first assembly being identical to the first assembly of the first form of invention shown in FIG. 3. The second assembly 28a shown in FIG. 9 of the drawings includes the multiple arrangement of nozzles 30a as well as the divider means '70. All of the components of the second assembly of the alternate form of the invention may be molded together, and the device is assembled by inserting the second assembly into the first assembly in such a manner that the ends 72 of the divider means 70 are in actual face contacting relationship to the baffle 24 with a bafiie opening 26 within each enclosed compartment 50a formed by the bafiie 24 and the divider means 70.

Thus, smoke will flow through the system of the device comprising the beginning of enclosed passage means at area 46, continuing through nozzle chamber 31 and then being divided into the space nozzles 30a with exit portions 40a into the individual enclosed chambers 50a against baffie portions 24a where impurities designated at 44a will be deposited, thence through bafiie openings 26 through the balance of the filter as in the first form of the invention.

In a device in accordance with the alternate form of the invention where there are only two nozzles, there would be two enclosed passages leasing to a divided baffie, and similarly in a device having six nozzles, there would be six enclosed passages leading to a divided baffie. In each case a sufiicient number of divider means 70 would be provided to make the required number of enclosed passages for each nozzle 30a.

The term enclosed passage as used herein means a passage enclosed in the system and separate from other similar passages in the system, yet having entry portions and exit portions so that the smoke can fiow through.

Inspection of the drawings will show that openings 26 in baffle 24 in both forms of the invention are in facing offset relationship to the exist portions 40 and 40a of the nozzles 30 and 30a, respectively. This offset relationship is highly desirable in order that the impurities 44 or 44a be directed against a solid portion of the baflie rather than to one of the openings 26. For example, reference to FIG. 1 of the drawings will show that nozzle exist 40 is in a central position facing the center of bafiie 24, and that openings 26 are in peripheral positions offset from the nozzle. Reference to FIG. 8 will show that in the modified form of the invention, the nozzle exists 40a are 1ocated substantially midway between outer circumference represented by the paper tube or roll 62 and the center of the device (making each of said exists 40a roughly at the center of its passage 50a). Reference to FIG. 7 will show that each opening 26 is at the periphery of the device offset from openings 40a. Further in FIG. 7, at reference numeral 44a, the impurities are represented on each bafiie portion 24a. These impurities would be substantially in facing relationship to the exit portions 40a as represented in FIG. 8. Thus, bafiie portions 24a facing exit portions 40a would catch the substance of the impurities 44a, leaving the smoke to go through the openings 26 which are in the offset relationship.

I have given some parameters hereinabove for the first form of invention. In the second form of invention, the measurements are approximately the same as those for the first form of the invention, with the exception that the nozzle openings would be smaller, having exit ports 40a within the range of .013 to .030 inch in internal diameter, being spaced about g to M6 of an inch away from baffle portions 24a.

Reference numeral 80 indicates the final section of the internal portion of nozzle 30a between the dotted lines and nozzle exit 40a. It is highly desirable to have this final section for a distance of approximately 1A; to 1A inch of a uniform diameter which would be the same diameter as the exit portion 40a.

While I have described my invention in its preferred forms, there are other forms which it may take without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Wherefore I claim:

1. A filter for a gas flow system comprising a main body portion including passage means and baffle means in combination with a plurality of nozzle assemblies, each nozzle assembly comprising a relatively Wide gas entry portion and a relatively narrow gas exit portion, in which the passage is divided into a plurality of passages, each of said passages including at least one nozzle assembly within it and comprising at least a portion of said baille means, with said relatively narrow gas exit portions directed toward said baffle means portions.

2. The lter as defined in claim 1, in which the portion of bafe comprising each of said passages is not common to the portion of bafe comprising the other passages.

3. A smoke ow filter for a cigarette, cigar or the like comprising a main body portion including passage means, baffle means and a plurality of nozzles within said passage, each nozzle having a relatively wide gas entry portion and a relatively narrow gas exit portion in which the passage is divided into a plurality of separate passages, each of said separate passages including at least one -nozzle within it and comprising at least a portion of said baiiie means, with said relatively narrow gas exit portions directed toward said batiie means portions, together with means to attach said filter to a cigarette, cigar or the like, said filter including mouthpiece means.

4. The filter as defined in claim 3, in which the portion of baiiie comprising each of said separate passages is not common to the portion of baiie comprising the other separate passages.

5. The filter as defined in claim 4, in which each portion of the bafiie comprising a separate passage is provided with an opening communicating with said passage.

6. The filter as defined in claim 5, in which the said main body portion is comprised of a first assembly comprising the baliie and a second assembly the nozzles, said assemblies adapted to be fitted together, and in which each of said assemblies are made of plastic.

7.` The filter as defined in claim 5, in which the said first assembly and the said second assembly are each made of injection molded plastic.

8. The filter as defined in claim 5, comprising an end passageway between said bafiie means and said mouthpiece means.

9. The filter as defined in claim S, in which said end passageway contains mechanical filter means.

10. The lter as defined in claim 3, in which the main body portion and the baflie means are comprised in the first assembly and the nozzle portions are comprised in a sec- 0nd assembly adapted to be fitted into the first assembly and in which the second assembly comprises a plurality of nozzles and a plurality of passage divider means whereby when the second assembly is fitted into the first assembly, the divider means together with the baie will form a plurality of separate passage chambers, each of which includes at least one nozzle, said bafiie means being provided with a plurality of openings, at least one of which is placed within each separate passage chamber.

11. The filter as defined in claim 10, in which the said bafiie openings are in offset facing relationship to the said nozzles.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,827,903 3/ 1958 Niederman 131-105 2,867,219 1/1959 Hug 131-105 2,954,779 10/ 1960 'Lebert 131-210 X 2,954,783 10/ 1960 Lebert 131--201 X 3,054,410 9/ 1962 Gould 131--11 X 3,269,394 8/ 1966 Curtis 131-201 X 3,313,308 4/ 1967 Grasso 131--210 X 3,351,072 11/ 1967 Braum et al 131-105 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,365,712 5/ 1964 France.

10,328 1897 Great Britain.

SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner.

JAMES H. CZERWONKY, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. C1. X.R.

ISI-10.7, 201, 212 

